principally

[ prin-suh-puh-lee, -sip-lee ]

adverb

1. chiefly; mainly.

   Synonyms: primarily

ˈprincipally

/ ˈprɪnsɪpəlɪ /

adverb

1. mainly or most importantly

Word History and Origins

Origin of principally¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; principal, -ly

Synonym Study

See especially.

Example Sentences

These were being sold to balance a £1bn government loan to offset, principally, the equal pay liability.

From BBC

Perhaps a thousand of those children died, principally of disease, and when their bodies weren’t or couldn’t be sent home, they were buried in school cemeteries.

From Los Angeles Times

As with many other Hawaiian bird species, the main threat to the 'Akikiki comes in the form of introduced species, principally malaria-carrying mosquitoes and habitat-wrecking livestock, according to Hawaii's Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

From Science Daily

While plans for the new competition remain embryonic, those involved insist there is money behind it, with that financial backing understood to be coming principally from the United States, rather than the Middle East.

From BBC

But there are those who think this is a sensible policy - one that principally sees wealthier families pay more in order to help fund education for all.

From BBC

Related Words

• basically
• chiefly
• first and foremost
• generally
• importantly
• largely
• mostly
• notably
• particularly
• predominantly